Texas House panel approves legalisation of marijuana in major step forward

Republican backer believes it shouldn't be banned if it came from God

The Texas House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee has approved the legalisation of weed for recreational purposes, meaning it could now go before the House floor.

Two Republicans and three Democrats clinched a 5 – 2 victory for House Bill 2165, which would make it legal to buy and sell the drug in the state.

The proposal still has a long way to go however, now facing the calendar committee which controls the state House floor.

Bizarrely, one of its Republican backers supported the legalisation of marijuana because he believes nothing that comes from God should be banned.

"I don't believe that when God made marijuana he made a mistake that government needs to fix," Simpson wrote The Texas Tribune in March, saying that the plant should be "regulated like tomatoes, jalapenos or coffee."

There is still a long, long way to go before Texas joins the five other US states who have legalised for recreational purposes, but this is still an encouraging development.

"Marijuana policy reform continues to make unprecedented progress this session," Phillip Martin of the liberal group Progress Texas tweeted just after the vote.

@christophhooton